Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing: User's Guide

Enhanced Educator Version 

User’s Guide

Mavis Beacon TeachesTyping 12 

© 2001, 2002 Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited, and its licensors. All rights reserved. English Word List Copyright © 1999 Wintertree Software Inc. All 

rights reserved. Uses Smacker Video Technology. Copyright © 1994–2001 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Miles Sound System. Copyright 

© 1991–2001 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. All rights reserved. Adobe ® Acrobat ® © 2001 Adobe Systems, Inc. The Learning Company, Mavis Beacon, and Mavis 

Beacon Teaches Typing are registered trademarks of Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited. Windows, Microsoft, and Natural are either registered trademarks 

or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Macintosh and Mac are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. 

Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective 

owners. 

IN THE INTEREST OF PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT, INFORMATION AND SPECIFICATIONS REPRESENTED HEREIN ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

Table of Contents 

System Requirements—Windows ® /Macintosh ® ........................................................................................................... 1 

Installing Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing ....................................................................................................................... 2 

Teacher’s Area..................................................................................................................................................................3 

Signing In for Class......................................................................................................................................................... 7 

The Classroom................................................................................................................................................................. 8 

General Classroom Information ............................................................................................................................................ 8 

Classroom Choices ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 

Lesson Area................................................................................................................................................................... 10 

Initial Diagnosis .................................................................................................................................................................. 10 

Lesson Area Choices........................................................................................................................................................... 11 

Typing Lessons.................................................................................................................................................................... 12 

Windows Title Bar ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 

Functions............................................................................................................................................................................ 13 

Menu Bar ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 

Menu Bar Choices .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 

Go To ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 

Progress......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 

Settings ......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 

Help ............................................................................................................................................................................... 19 

The Media Center ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 

Practice Area ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21 

Ergonomics Checklist.......................................................................................................................................................... 22 

Video Viewer...................................................................................................................................................................... 22 

Custom Lesson Designer .................................................................................................................................................... 23 

The Game Hallway ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 

Using the Game Hallway .................................................................................................................................................... 25 

Creature Lab ...................................................................................................................................................................... 26 

Far Off Adventures ............................................................................................................................................................. 28 

Check-Out Time ................................................................................................................................................................. 29 

Road Race .......................................................................................................................................................................... 30 

Chameleon Picnic............................................................................................................................................................... 31 

Space Junk ......................................................................................................................................................................... 32 

Shark Attack....................................................................................................................................................................... 33 

Penguin Crossing................................................................................................................................................................ 34 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing ® for Palm-Powered Handhelds .............................................................................. 35 

System Requirements for PDA ............................................................................................................................................ 35 

Installing the PDA Application ............................................................................................................................................ 35 

Starting the PDA Application.............................................................................................................................................. 35 

General Introduction of PDA Games................................................................................................................................... 36 

Meteor Drop! Game........................................................................................................................................................... 38 

Dragster Race! Game ......................................................................................................................................................... 40 

Letter Blockade! Game....................................................................................................................................................... 41 

Pausing a Game ................................................................................................................................................................. 42 

Game Over......................................................................................................................................................................... 43 

Practice Test Area ............................................................................................................................................................... 44 

Progress Report .................................................................................................................................................................. 46 

Options Menu .................................................................................................................................................................... 48 

Practice ......................................................................................................................................................................... 52 

Transcription Lessons ......................................................................................................................................................... 52 

Dictation Lessons ......................................................................................................................................................... 62 

Typing Business Letters ................................................................................................................................................ 72 

Four Business Letter Forms ................................................................................................................................................. 77 

More on Business Letters..........................................................................................................................................81 

Web Page Basics.......................................................................................................................................................82 

Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................................................... 83 

Windows ® .......................................................................................................................................................................... 83 

Macintosh ® ........................................................................................................................................................................ 85 

Suggested Reading.................................................................................................................................................... 88 

Teacher’s Guide.........................................................................................................................................following 90

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, version 15 is a software training program built on a proven core 

curriculum. Using this great technology at home, in the office, or at school helps you develop 

excellent typing skills. To begin, check your system requirements. Next, install the software and 

then run the program. 

Windows ® System Requirements 

Minimum requirements: 

• Windows ® 95b/98/ME/2000/XP 

• Pentium ® 166 

• 32 MB RAM 

• 8X CD-ROM drive 

• 200 MB free hard disk space (standard install); 620 MB (full install) 

• SVGA video card with 640x480 resolution or better 

• 2 MB of Video RAM 

• Windows ® -compatible 16-bit sound card 

Optional: 

• A color printer with 300 dpi or better is recommended 

Macintosh ® System Requirements 

Minimum requirements: 

• PowerPC 180-MHz processor or faster 

• Mac OS 8.6–9.2.2, Mac OS 10.1.5 

• 32 MB RAM 

• 8X CD-ROM drive 

• 200 MB free hard disk space (standard install); 620 MB (full install) 

• Thousands of colors display 

1


Installing Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing runs from your hard drive, but you must have the CD in the drive for it to 

operate. To complete the installation, 200 MB free space is required on your hard drive to store some 

program files. Close all other programs and applications before installing. 

These instructions assume that the AutoPlay feature is turned on. 

Windows ® 

1. Insert the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD in the CD-ROM drive. 

2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup process. Click the Run button to start 

the program. The setup program places Mavis Beacon file icons in the Start menu, under The 

Learning Company program group. 

3. To run the program with the AutoPlay feature turned off, make sure you have the CD in the 

drive. From the Start menu, choose Programs, The Learning Company, Mavis Beacon, then 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. 

Hint: When your computer is turned on and Windows® 95/98, Me, 2000, or XP 

is running, you may launch the Uninstall program from the autorun screen. 

Place your Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD into your CD-ROM drive. 

Once the CD is in your CD-ROM drive, the autorun screen appears; click 

Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions. 

Macintosh ® 

1. Insert the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD in the CD-ROM drive. 

2. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup process. Click the Start button to run 

the program. The installer creates a folder named Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing inside The 

Learning Company folder. 

3. To start the program after the initial installation, insert the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing CD 

in the CD-ROM drive and double-click the program icon. 

IMPORTANT: DirectX 8 and Adobe ® Acrobat ® Reader 4.0 are necessary for Mavis Beacon Teaches 

Typing to operate correctly. These software products allow your computer access to the 

online manual, your computer sound system to have higher quality sound, and your 

computer monitor to operate in Full-Screen Mode. 

2

Teacher’s Area 

The Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Deluxe 15 Enhanced Educator Version features a Teacher’s Area with 

Classroom List Management, Student Progress Reports, as well as access to this User’s Guide, a one-handed 

typing manual, and a link to the Riverdeep – The Learning Company Web site. 

To enter the the Teacher’s Area, click the Teacher’s Area button. The password to the Teacher’s Area can 

be obtained from your CTA. This password cannot be changed. 

Classroom List Management 

Use this class list tool to manage class rosters. Select a class from the menu. You can click New Class to 

create a class, or click Delete Class to remove one. Note that there is a maximum class size of 99 students, 

and a maximum of 25 classes.


Note: Only users with Teacher status can create, modify, import, export, or delete custom lessons in the 

Custom Lesson Design Area. 

Click Change Name to rename a class. Within any class, you can click Add Student to add a 

student’s name to the class. After selecting Add Student, the teacher must assign user settings. In 

order for the teacher to create or modify custom lessons in the Media Center Custom Lesson 

Designer area, the teacher must sign in and select Teacher under User Type. 

Note: With the standalone version of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Deluxe, teachers must add students on 

a per workstation basis. 

To remove student names, click the checkbox next to one or more names, then click Remove 

Selected Students. To remove all student names from a class, click Remove All. You can also 

move students from one class to another by clicking the checkbox next to one or more names, 

then clicking Move Students. A dialog box appears, where you can select the class to which you 

want to move the students. 

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Student user settings are changed within the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Deluxe program (i.e. 

outside the Teacher’s Area). To change user settings for an individual student, sign into Mavis as 

that student, then access the toolbar, click Settings. 

Importing Student Lists 

To expedite the process of populating classes, you may import student lists that are saved in a text 

or ASCII format with the .txt extension. The text file should contain one student name per line, 

with no more than 99 students per class. Student names may contain up to 25 characters. Default 

user settings will be assigned to imported student lists. (The default values are: English language, 

standard typing mode, 40 WPM goal, age 12–15, standard keyboard type, and student user status.) 

Note that these settings can be changed within the Mavis program in Settings/User Settings. 

Student Progress Report 

The student progress report offers a convenient way to follow student progress through the 

program. You can view progress for an individual class or for all students at once. You can print 

the student progress report or export it to a tab-delimited text file for use with a spreadsheet 

program. 

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In addition to student names and most recent play date, the progress reports provide 

achievement data for the following parameters: 

• Skill level 

• Speed goal 

• Words per minute (WPM) 

• Adjusted words per minutes (AWPM) 

The report shows the most current play information and is meant to assist teachers in 

identifying whether a student is able to advance through the program or is having difficulty 

solving a particular activity. Teachers will be able to view which areas their students have visited 

during game play. This will help teachers offer encouragement, make assignments for additional 

research, recommend appropriate extension handouts, and plan alternate ways of assessing 

what additional information students need to see. 

Student Progress Reports may also be exported as tab delimited text by clicking the Save as Text 

button. 

6

Signing In for Class 

In Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Deluxe 15 EEV, students are entered into classes in the 

Teacher’s Area. Only teachers may add new students to a class. (See the Teacher’s Area 

description in this user’s guide for the process.) 

Once a teacher has set up class lists on a workstation, the student highlights his or her name and 

enters the classroom by selecting Enter Classroom. 

Note: Once a student signs in, Mavis creates a file that contains information about their lesson history. 

This file allows students to return to where they left off in their previous session of Mavis Beacon Teaches 

Typing Deluxe. 

If Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Deluxe is being utilized in a computer lab setting, note that 

students will have to sign in to the same computer as before to access their user settings and 

lesson history. 

7


The Classroom 

In Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, the Classroom is the best place to be! From this point 

forward, you are able to access all areas of the program. 

General Classroom Information: 

1. To learn more about the Classroom and all of the areas connected to it, click the Help menu 

choice located on the menu bar and then click Quick Help. A cursor with a question mark 

appears on your screen. By moving the cursor, you may click the portion of the screen that 

needs clarification. 

2. You are able to access the areas that highlight by clicking on them with your mouse. 

3. To return to the Classroom at any point in the program, click Go To on the menu bar and 

then click on Classroom. 

8

Classroom Choices: 

1. When you click once on Mavis Beacon she will give you a helpful hint. 

2. You may click the Lesson Area computer monitor and begin taking typing lessons. 

3. By clicking on the Media Center door you can access the Practice Area, Ergonomic Checklist, 

Video Viewer, and the Custom Lesson Designer. 

4. Click once on the Monitor located behind Mavis Beacon and the progress screen will appear. 

5. Click on the Games door to go to the Game Hallway, where you can choose from eight skillenhancing 

games. 

Click the Lesson Area computer monitor to access and start your typing lessons. 

9


Lesson Area 

Initial Diagnosis: 

1. The Test Typing Level diagnostic quiz begins when you click on Start Lesson. You begin by 

typing the information on the screen until the Mavis dialog box appears informing you Mavis 

has enough information to determine your typing level. After exiting this dialog box, you may 

click Start Lesson to begin. 

2. The Beginner Typist choice allows you to immediately start at the beginner level with a lesson. 

To begin a lesson, click the Start Lesson button. 

3. The Cancel option allows you to stay in the Classroom area until you choose either Test 

Typing Level or Beginner Typist when entering the Lesson Area. 

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Lesson Area Choices: 

1. Now that you are finished with the Initial Testing area, your typing lessons appear on the 

computer screen in front of you. Mavis Beacon presents you with typing lessons which are 

appropriate for your age and skill level. 

2. There are five button options available during your typing lessons: 

• To take one of the available lessons, or one you have created, click the Custom Lesson 

button. The on-screen prompts help guide you. 

• By clicking on Repeat Audio during a Dictation Lesson, the last ten seconds of dictation 

replay. 

• To begin a lesson, click on Start Lesson. If you want to begin again, click on Start Over. 

During your typing lessons the Start Lesson button changes to a Start Over button. 

• Clicking the History button displays the last 10 lessons, quizzes, or games that you have 

completed. You may choose to re-take an item in the list by clicking Start Lesson. Clicking 

Cancel returns you to your current lesson. 

• The Arrows allow you to move to the Previous Lesson or to the Next Lesson by clicking on 

them. 

3. There are five display options which help guide you during your typing lessons: 

• The Mavis Beacon Guide Hands show you where your fingers need to be on your keyboard 

during typing lessons. 

• The WPM/KPM display shows your typing speed. The Adjusted WPM and Adjusted KPM 

combines your typing speed and typing errors. It is possible for these numbers to be the 

same. 

• The Lesson Duration display, located to the right of the lesson window, shows the amount 

of your typing lesson completed. 

• During a timed typing lesson, the Timed Lesson display, on the right of your screen, shows 

how much time is remaining in the lesson. 

• From beginner to advanced typist, the Lesson Level display, located in the lower right of 

the lesson area, shows the difficulty level of the lesson you are currently taking. 

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Typing Lessons: 

1. To begin your typing lessons, click the Start Lesson button. Type the characters as they appear 

on the computer screen until the lesson is finished. 

2. When a lesson begins, the Start Lesson button changes to the Start Over button. Clicking the 

Start Over button returns you to the beginning of the current lesson, resetting the WPM or 

KPM, Text, Lesson Duration, and Timed Lesson. Your typing score and analysis information 

are only retained when the entire lesson has been completed. 

3. When you want to take a break during a typing lesson, click Pause on the menu bar or press 

the ESC key located on your keyboard. Now you are able to click the End Lesson, Start Over, 

or Resume buttons. To continue the lesson from where you left off, click Resume. 

4. To proceed to the next lesson, click the Start Lesson button or the right arrow button. 

5. To skip or proceed to alternate lessons click the right arrow button. You may skip practice 

lessons but not quizzes. In order to progress through the typing lessons, each section quiz 

must be successfully completed. To begin the next lesson, click the Start Lesson button. 

6. There are two ways to access a previous lesson. One is to click the left arrow button and then 

click Start Lesson. The other is to click the History button, click on a lesson from the Select a 

Lesson list, and then click Start Lesson. When you are finished, click the right arrow once, and 

you will return to your prior place in the lesson. 

12

Windows Title Bar 

The Windows Title Bar is always available at the top right corner of the Mavis Beacon Teaches 

Typing screen except within Class Sign In and Registration. There are two functions available on 

the Windows Title Bar. 

Functions: 

1. On the right end of the title bar is the Close button, which is a box, containing an “X.” 

Clicking here closes the program the same as the Exit menu bar choice. 

2. The button to the left is the minimize button. Clicking here will reduce the program to a 

button on your taskbar. 

In most places in Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, the Menu Bar is accessible and available. The 

Menu Bar is located on the bottom of the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing screen. When the Menu 

Bar choices are highlighted they are accessible by clicking on them. However, when a Menu Bar 

Choice is grayed out it is not accessible in that screen. 

Menu Bar Choices: 

1. Clicking Go To allows you access to the Classroom, Speed Test, Game Hallway, and Media 

Center. The Media Center is only available in Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Deluxe. 

2. Progress allows you to access the Summary, Key Proficiency, and Progress Over Time tabs. 

3. Click Settings to change your Audio, User, and Typing options. 

4. Help allows you to view Quick Help, About, and Finger Positions. 

5. Pause is only available when you are accessing the Games, Practice Area, or Lesson Areas. 

Click Pause to choose End Game, End Practice, End Lesson, Start Over, or Resume. 

6. Click Exit to close the program or start as a different user. Exit is unavailable when you are in 

the Registration. 

13


Go To: 

1. Click the Go To menu choice, and then click Speed Test. This takes you to the Lesson Area 

screen where you may begin the Speed Test. From here follow the instructions on the screen. 

2. Click on Speed Test to begin. Once you begin the speed test, you can click Pause on the menu 

bar. The Start Over button allows you to immediately begin the test again. Resume allows 

you to start where you left off while End Test takes you to the last area you visited. 

3. After completing your speed test, you can choose to either Print Certificate or End Test. Print 

Certificate allows you to print a Certificate of Accomplishment. End Test will take you back 

to where you were in the program. 

4. The Custom button allows you to take one of the available custom lessons. Cancel will 

return you to the last area you were in. 

Progress: 

From the very beginning, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing constantly monitors how you are doing 

in your current lessons, your skill development, and your typing progress. 

To access choices within the Progress menu, click Progress on the menu bar, and then click 

Summary, Key Proficiency, or Progress Over Time. You must be in the Classroom, Media Center 

or the Game Hallway to access the Progress menu choice. 

Using the Progress Menu options: 

The Summary tab displays your current typing progress based on recent quiz results. The results 

are based on your current session of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. You are able to click the 

Print, Print Certificate, Print Report or Close buttons. Click the Print button to print out the 

14

Summary information on your screen. Click the Print Certificate button for a Certificate of 

Accomplishment. 

The Key Proficiency tab indicates your typing proficiency by key. Click the Shift buttons, and 

you can toggle between the upper and lower case keys. You are able to click the Print button and 

print the screen for reference or click the Close button to exit the Progress box. 

The Progress Over Time tab displays the results of all your tests and quizzes from when you 

started the program until now. A maximum total of 75 entries will be supported. Click the Print 

button and print the screen for reference or click the Close button to exit the Progress screen. 

15


By clicking the Settings menu choice, you can make changes to Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing to 

meet your individual needs. After clicking on Settings, click on Audio, User, or Typing to start 

customizing. The Settings screen can only be accessed from the Classroom, Media Center or the 

Game Hallway screens. 

Using the Settings Menu Options: 

When you exit the Settings screen, you are taken to your previous place in the program. Click 

the Cancel button to exit without making any changes to your settings; click the Use Defaults 

button to accept Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing's original settings; or click the OK button to 

save your changes and exit the Settings screen. 

The Audio tab allows you to change certain sound features in the program. 

• To change the background music, click on one of the music choices offered in the Music 

Selection. 

• The Sound section offers you three audio choices. You can choose to turn on or off the 

Mavis Voiceover, Music Background, and Sound Effects. 

16

The User tab allows you to change options that affect the Lesson Area and the Mavis Beacon 

Teaches Typing screen. If you are using this program in Spanish, this lesson area will work the 

same as it does in English, however you will be hearing it in Spanish. 

Note: The lesson area is not intended to teach a person to type in Spanish and it will use the English 

alphabet with no special markings or accents. Also, the dictation feature is only available in English, 

to assist teaching touch-typing skills in English. All other lesson information will have dialogue text 

and sound in Spanish. 

• Lesson Type gives you a choice of two typing modes to learn, Standard or 10-Key. The 

standard mode will cover most of the keys used during normal text typing. The 10-key 

setting will focus on numerical lessons using the 10-key pad usually located to the right of 

your keyboard. 

• In Personal Profile, click the circle which best describes your age group. This gives you age 

appropriate content lessons as well as modify the lesson difficulty. 

• Enter a number for your Typing Speed Goal. The goal will only apply once you have 

achieved the advanced level and that all the keys have been introduced. 

• Choose Never, Sometimes, or Often to decide the frequency at which Lessons Taken as 

Games are used during your lessons. 

17


The Typing tab allows you to change some of the typing features in your lessons. 

• The Timer setting allows you to hide the lesson clock by clicking the Off option or to 

reveal it, by clicking the On option. 

• The Mavis Beacon Guide Hands setting allows you to view the correct typing finger 

positions by clicking either the On or Off option. 

• To set whether you want the Backspace Key to erase your mistakes or not, click either the 

On or Off options. 

• The End of Line Wrap setting allows you to choose if you want the cursor to move 

automatically to the next line without having to press the Return or Enter key at the end 

of each line. Click the On option to enable this feature; click the Off option to disable it. 

• The Spacing After Period setting allows you to choose how many spaces are permissible 

after periods. Click the option for either one 1 (one) or 2 (two) spaces. 

• Use the Lesson Layout setting to choose whether you want your typing to appear under 

the characters of the lesson by clicking the Standard option, or directly over the characters 

in the lesson by clicking the Overstrike option. 

• There are two Keyboard choices; click the one that most closely matches your keyboard. 

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Help 

1. Quick Help is discussed in detail in the General Classroom Information section. 

2. Clicking on Help and then About will allow you to view the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 

information screen. 

3. To access Finger Positions, click Help on the Menu Bar and then click Finger Positions. 

• Type a key on your keyboard and the Mavis Beacon Guide Hands show you which finger 

to use for that keystroke. 

• When you are finished practicing, click any of the highlighted Menu Bar choices to go to 

another area within Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. 

19


The Media Center 

The activities in the Media Center give you the opportunity to learn more about ergonomics 

and access additional typing lessons for practice. 

1. If you want more typing practice, try the Practice Area. The categories offer you something 

fun, new, and interesting. You also build and strengthen your speed and accuracy. You will 

find many categories of content including: Astronomy, English, Fiction, Folklore, Historical 

Documents, Job Search, Numbers, Poetry, Rain Forest, Tests, and many more. 

2. Click the Ergonomics Book to complete the Ergonomic Checklist; learn more about typing 

postures and home and office workspace design. 

3. Click the Video Viewer to watch helpful videos about healthy typing techniques. This area of 

the Media Center provides videos on Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Designing A Healthy 

Workspace, Making the Right Moves, and much more. 

4. The Custom Lesson Designer allows you to create or modify your own lessons by setting 

your own personal speed and accuracy goals. You can also import your own text files or use 

existing text from the program. 

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Practice Area: 

1. To access this content, click the computer workstation, located to the bottom left of the 

Media Center. 

2. To start a new lesson, browse through the list of Practice Categories and find one that 

interests you. Either double click on it or click the Open button. 

3. Select an article by either double clicking on it or clicking the Open button. 

4. To use your own text or text downloaded from the Internet, make sure the file has been 

saved in a text or ASCII format. Save the file as a text file with a .txt extension to the 

directory or folder of your choice (example: samptext.txt). 

• On the Practice Area screen, click Import. 

• Find the Practice Content text you have downloaded. Select the file and click Open. 

Your text appears on the computer screen. You can now begin practicing. 

Note: Mavis Beacon monitors your overall progress with the typing statistics gathered in the Classroom 

only. Work completed in the Practice Area is not counted in your typing statistics. 

21


Ergonomics Checklist: 

1. To access the Ergonomic Checklist, click the Ergonomics Book. 

2. Follow the on-screen instructions, then click Next through the rest of the Checklist after 

completing each exercise. 

3. You may click the Back button to go back in the list or the Close button to exit the 

Checklist. 

4. When you are finished, click Next or click the Evaluation tab to view an analysis of your 

choices. 

5. The Help Description gives you information to guide you through the Checklist. 

6. When the Video button is highlighted, you can click on it to view videos pertaining to 

specific ergonomic issues. 

Video Viewer: 

1. To watch a video, click the Video Viewer in the Media Center. The monitor displays a list 

of videos on its screen. 

2. After selecting one of the videos from the list, click the Forward Arrow (play button) on 

the video controller to view the video. To pause or stop the video, click the Pause or Stop 

buttons to the right of the Play button. After pausing a video, click the Play button to 

continue. Stop returns you to the main video selection screen. 

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Custom Lesson Designer: 

If the teacher has signed in: 

Click on the Custom Lesson Designer drafting table to create your own typing lessons. 

• Create: Click this button to create a new custom lesson. 

• Begin: Click this button to start practicing with a custom lesson. 

• Modify: Click this button to modify a lesson from the list. 

• Import: Click this button to import a lesson you created previously in the Lesson Designer. 

The file may have been created by another user or may reside in a different location. This 

feature makes exchanging custom lessons easy. 

• Export: Click this button to export any of the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing lessons. Use 

this feature to save those lessons onto a disk to share with another Mavis Beacon Teaches 

Typing user, or move your typing lessons from one computer to another. 

• Delete: Click this button to delete custom lessons you no longer need from the list. 

• Undelete: Click this button to undelete custom lessons that you deleted by mistake. 

Undelete can only be used during your current Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing session. 

If the student has signed in, he or she selects a lesson and presses the Begin button. 

23


Design Your Own Custom Lesson: 

1. Click the Create button. 

2. Type a name for your custom lesson. In order to minimize the chance of confusion, make 

certain to name each lesson differently. 

3. Select the Standard, Dictation, Speed Test, or Transcription option as your text source. 

Note: In Dictation lessons, Mavis Beacon reads sentences out loud as you type them. A repeat audio 

button is available if you need her to repeat the last 10 seconds of the lesson. In Transcription 

lessons, you arrive at a blank screen and type in passages from the back of this User’s Guide. 

4. Choose the lesson text to be used from the list box or click Other Text if you want to 

import your own text. Click on the Next button. 

5. Choose an environment for your lesson. Certain environments are not available for all 

types of custom lessons. Click on the Next button. 

6. You can change the Limits of your lesson - Time Limit, Number of Errors, and Number of 

Words. Click on the Next button once you have completed your settings. 

7. Set the WPM/KPM and Accuracy goals for the lesson. 

8. Click Finish to return to the lesson selection screen. Back takes you to the previous screen 

to modify any of the settings you selected. 

9. Click on the Begin button to start your custom lesson, or click on Modify to edit a 

previously saved custom lesson. Then select the lesson filename from the Custom Lesson 

list box, and click Modify to modify your custom lesson. 

24

The Game Hallway 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing features eight exciting games with different themes to build your 

typing speed, accuracy, rhythm, and endurance. Your monitored typing progress is not connected 

to the Game Hallway. The more advanced your typing skills, the more challenging the games 

will be. Beginners are not timed, but Intermediate and Advanced users will compete against the 

clock. 

Using the Game Hallway 

1. To enter the Game Hallway from the Classroom, click the Games door. You may also click the 

Go To menu choice on the menu bar and select Game Hallway. 

2. Roll your cursor over each game screen to identify the game, then click the game you want to 

play. 

3. Follow the audio directions for game play instructions or refer to the game section in the user 

guide for information on each game. 

Hint: If you want to interrupt or pause a game at any time, press the ESC key, or 

click Pause on the menu bar. The Pause dialog box gives you the option to 

End Game, Start Over, or Resume the game from where you left off. 

25


Creature Lab 

1. This game builds your speed and accuracy skills. The object of the game is to collect the 

colored segments in the microscope view and complete the helix in the vial on the right 

before time runs out. Once this is achieved, your creature appears on the screen. 

2. To build your own creature, type the characters below the colored strands in the microscope 

view quickly and accurately. The moment you key the first character the game begins. 

Focusing on different colored strands will produce a creature, created specifically for you. 

3. Build a single colored creature by picking a creature displayed at the bottom right corner of 

the screen. On the left of each creature is a colored segment that represents the creature in 

the microscope view. 

4. If you make an error, the program waits for you to correct it before proceeding. 

5. Beginning with the tail, type only those characters under the colored segment. Once each body 

section is complete, the sectional animal icon, located to the right, will fill out a section. 

Repeat this process until the creature’s body, limbs, and head are completed. 

6. Track each completed creature part with the sectional animal icon at the upper right. The glass 

vial next to it shows how far you moved through the current section. 

7. Choose characters or colored segments from anywhere in the microscope view. You do not 

have to begin at the top. 

8. If you are typing in standard mode, each word begins with a different letter. For example, if 

26

the word “Game” appears, no other on-screen word begins with the letter “G.” Once you 

key the first character, you are committed to completing that word. You may not 

backspace. If typing in 10-key mode, there are no number strings beginning with the same 

number. 

9. The time gauge is located at the top right of the screen. An indicator on the gauge moves 

upward signaling the time remaining in the game. The gray area below the indicator 

represents the elapsed time. 

10. Winning and losing the game depends on quick and accurate typing. Your creature appears 

on-screen after you successfully complete its head. You lose the game if you make too 

many mistakes or type too slowly. 

27


Far Off Adventures 

1. This game builds your typing rhythm and endurance. The object of the game is to keep your 

balloon traveling above the water until it reaches its destination. 

2. To play the game, type the characters in a consistent rhythm. Speed is not the key to this game. 

3. If you make too many errors or lose your rhythm the balloon crashes into the water and the 

game ends. 

4. You succeed by keeping your balloon traveling above the water and reaching a secret 

destination. 

28

Check-Out Time 

1. This game helps you practice 10-key keypad typing. The object of the game is to correctly enter 

the amount on the digital display. 

2. To play Check-Out Time, type each amount quickly and press Enter after typing in each price. 

Grocery items move down the conveyor belt and across the scanner and the prices appear. 

3. If you type a number incorrectly, the grocery item falls on the floor and splats. If you make too 

many mistakes, the game ends. 

29


Road Race 

1. This game helps build your typing speed. The object of the game is to stay ahead of the other 

car by typing as fast as you can. 

2. To play Road Race, type each character as quickly as possible. 

3. Each time you make an error, a bug splats on your windshield. If too many bugs splat on your 

windshield, the game ends. 

4. The gauge on the left side of the dashboard shows your WPM or your KPM. 

5. The gauge on the right side shows your accuracy (ACC) level. 

30

Chameleon Picnic 

1. This game helps build your typing accuracy. The object of the game is for the chameleon to eat 

all of the bugs. 

2. To play Chameleon Picnic, type each letter as it appears at the beginning of the line. When you 

see a blank space, press the spacebar. 

3. Each time you type a letter correctly, the chameleon eats the bug carrying that letter. 

4. If you type a letter incorrectly, the bug jumps into the grass. You must type the correct key for 

the Chameleon to continue. The game ends if the Chameleon eats all of the bugs, or if too many 

bugs have jumped into the grass. 

31


Space Junk 

1. This game helps you practice typing common word patterns for letter combinations such as 

“ing” and “ion.” The object of the game is to destroy all of the space debris. 

2. To play the Space Junk game, type each letter as quickly as possible. When you make an error, 

you must retype the pattern again. 

3. The space debris is zapped away when you type the characters correctly. If you type 

incorrectly, the space debris crashes into your spaceship, affecting the ship’s health (see 

health diagram in the lower right corner of the screen). 

32

Shark Attack 

1. This game helps build your typing speed. The object of the game is to stay ahead of the shark, 

which will eat you if you type too slowly. 

2. To play Shark Attack, type the characters as quickly as possible. 

3. If you type too slowly the shark appears in the window. As the shark gets closer his mouth 

opens wider and wider, showing more teeth each time. 

4. Each time you make a typing error a squid splats on the window and the shark’s mouth comes 

closer. If you make too many mistakes the shark eats your submarine and the lesson ends. 

5. The gauge above the window displays your WPM or KPM. 

33


Penguin Crossing 

1. This game helps build your speed and accuracy. The object of the game is to type the 

characters on the icebergs before they smash into the rocks. 

2. Once the penguin jumps onto an iceberg, type the characters on the iceberg as quickly as 

possible. If you make an error, the program waits for you to correct it before 

proceeding. The penguin jumps from one iceberg to another. 

3. Each time you type a character string correctly the penguin jumps to another iceberg. If 

you do well, the penguin will cross the river. 

4. If you make too many mistakes or type too slowly, the game ends. 

34

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing ® for Palm-Powered Handhelds 

System Requirements for PDA 

As with other PDA applications, the installation requires a computer with “hot synch” capability. 

The Mavis Beacon application is compatible only with systems with Palm operating system 3.0 

or later. This application requires Palm Desktop software, PDA hardware (such as a Handspring 

Visor or Palm handheld), and a keyboard accessory for the PDA. 

Installing the PDA Application 

To install the software, select Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing ® for Palm-Powered Handhelds from 

the main launcher screen. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation. After you 

install the application, hot synch it to your PDA. 

Starting the PDA Application 

When you tap the Mavis icon, the Main menu appears (shown below). There are three typing 

games and one practice test. The Main menu is the central hub for this application. Tapping one 

of the four bold titles will start the game or practice test. 

35


You can also change the game from the Go To menu, by tapping the menu bar located at the top 

of the screen. Shortcut keys also are available to start a game (see the letter next to each title in the 

Go To menu). 

Your current typing speed (words per minute) and accuracy, based on data in the your Progress 

Report, are displayed on the Main menu screen. To access the Progress Report, tap the View 

Progress Report button. The first time you use the program, the Speed and Accuracy fields, and 

the Progress Report, will be blank. As you play the games, however, the Progress Report will track 

your progress. 

General Introduction of PDA Games 

When you select a game, you go to an introduction screen. The introduction screens for the three 

games are: 

36

The elements of these screens are: 

• The game’s high score, which you can reset in Preferences 

• An “Emphasis on” selector shows a pop-up list of keys to practice. If you select Home 

Row, the game generates words containing letters on the home row of the keyboard. If 

you select H, G, the game generates words containing home row keys, plus the letters H 

and G. 

• Play button; select the Play button to begin the game 

• Instructions button; select the Instructions button to go to the game instruction screen 

• Exit button; select the Exit button to go to the Main menu. 

For the Dragster Race game, the menu selector is “Topics.” You can select from the following word 

or sentence topics: 

• Earth 

• First 10 U.S. Presidents 

• 7 Wonders of the Ancient World 

• 7 Other World Wonders 

• 7 Natural Wonders 

• Baseball 

• Basketball 

• North American Rivers 

• Repetitive Letters 

37


Meteor Drop! Game 

In the Meteor Drop! game, meteors are falling from the sky, and you must explode them before 

they reach the ground. Type the word written on the meteor to explode it. The meteors rotate 

slightly while falling. 

This screen includes the following: 

• The current level is displayed at upper right. You can change the level at any point during 

the game. 

• The number of extra lives is represented by icons at the bottom of the screen (five lives 

maximum). 

• When you type a word correctly, a beam targets the meteor, which then explodes. As as 

you type the correct keys, the letters are highlighted. 

• Your typing speed is calculated continuously. 

• Your score appears at lower right. 

• Select the Pause button to pause the game. 

Each meteor contains a different word. When you type the word, the letters on the meteor highlight 

to indicate correctly typed letters. In the first sketch above, the user has only typed sa, as is shown 

by the highlight. Incorrectly typed letters are ignored. If the CapsLock is on, you will hear a 

38

negative sound effect. If you want to target a different meteor, press the backspace key until all 

letters are canceled, then type the new meteor’s word. 

Once you have typed all the correct letters in a meteor, the beam automatically targets that meteor 

and it explodes. The points are then added to the running total at the bottom of the screen. Each 

meteor exploded is worth 5 points per level. Once you have typed 10 words correctly, the program 

advances to the next level, where the meteors will descend at a faster rate. Each time you complete 

a level, you earn an extra life, up to a maximum of five (you begin the game with three). 

Occasionally, a radioactive meteor will appear on the screen. If you target a radioactive meteror, 

all other meteors on the screen simultaneously explode, and you get points for all of them. A 

radioactive meteor looks slightly different from a regular meteor. 

Regular Meteor 

Radioactive Meteor 

If a meteor touches the ground, you lose one “life” icon. The game ends when you run out of extra 

lives. When the game ends, the results are added to your Progress Report, and if you post a high 

score, that also is saved. If you cancel a game before it ends, no data is saved. 

39


Dragster Race! Game 

The Dragster Race! game is a typing race based on speed. You are the driver of a car, and racing 

against a computer opponent. Your opponent’s car travels at a fixed speed (set in “Preferences” 

under “Target Typing Speed”). The faster you type, the faster your car goes. 

The game begins with both cars at the starting line. The race starts when you press any key. At the 

end of the race, an onscreen message will tell you whether or not you have won. 


• The user’s speed, in WPM, is calculated continuously during the race so it can be used as a 

speedometer. The calculations take into account the entire race. When the race is finished, 

this number represents the user’s typing speed for the entire race, not just near the end. 

• The Goal is the opponent’s speed in WPM, which you can set in the “Preferences” section. 

This value is fixed for the duration of the race. 

• The roadway with the two cars shows the progress of the race. If you make a typing error, 

your car will occasionally backfire. 

• The text area shows the text that you must type. Errors are noted with a small “^” under 

the incorrect word, and the current position is shown with a solid cursor. 


40

Letter Blockade! Game 

The object of the Letter Blockade! gameplay is to move and rotate the falling blocks to avoid filling 

the well. You can manipulate the block by typing the corresponding text for the control. For 

example, in the illustration below, the player must type sad to move the falling block one space to 

the right. To move it another space to the right, the player must type sad again. Occasionally, a 

Power Block appears that clears part of the board away. 

Once a block reaches the bottom of the well or an obstacle, you can no longer move it, and another 

will fall. When you completely fill a row, it is removed and all blocks above move down one row. 

The game ends when the well is filled to the top and the next block can no longer fit. 


• The well in the center of the screen is where the blocks will fall and collect. 

• The blocks fall in groups of 4, combined to make a rigid shape. The blocks contain 

different patterns. The object of the game is to place similarly-patterned blocks together. 

• The Power Block appears as a flashing object. It is a standard shape, but each of the 

blocks contains a flashing shade of concentric squares. The color constantly animates (as it 

falls) between the 2 block examples shown below. You can manipulate Power Blocks just 

as you would normal blocks. When a Power Block lands on the bottom of the screen, it 

removes all adjacent blocks, then disappears. 

41


Power Block animation 

• The current speed of the user (WPM) is displayed. 

• The user’s current score is displayed. The method for calculating the score is described 

below. 

• The box at right displays a preview of the shape and color that will appear next. 

• The current level is displayed. 

• There are four main controls in this game: right, left, rotate, and drop. Each has a large 

arrow on the screen. Next to the arrow is a word you must type each time you want to 

activate that control. 


Pausing a Game 

When you pause any game, a general pop-up window appears. Select the Start Over button to 

restart the activity. Select the End Game button to go to the Main menu. 

42

Game Over 

When a game ends, a Game Over window appears. The window shows your speed and accuracy 

for the game, as well as the adjusted speed. The data are added as a new entry in your Progress 

Report. If you quit a game before it ends, no data are added to the Progress Report. Select the Done 

button to go to the Main menu. Select the Play Again button to repeat the game. 

43


Practice Test Area 

The Practice Test is a place where you can test your typing in a more traditional manner. When 

you select the Practice Test area, you first go to the Mavis–Topic screen (at left in the illustration 

below). The default topic is English, but you can select a list of topics using the pull-down menu. 

The content of the topics is identical to the personal computer version of Mavis Beacon Deluxe. 

After you select a topic, the Practice Test begins immediately. 

Select the Cancel button to return to the Main menu. 

The bulk of the Practice Test screen is dedicated to the content and typing. Your errors will be 

marked with a small “^” below the incorrect letter. The next letter to be typed is highlighted on 

the keyboard displayed on screen. Your current speed (calculated on the fly) is noted in the upper 

right corner of the screen. 

44

As you proceed with the Practice Test, the screen scrolls to keep the current line in the center of 

the screen. 

If you change your preferences during a Practice Test, and if those preferences affect the display, 

the test will automatically start over. 

When you complete the Practice Test, the Practice Test Complete windows appears. This window 

lists your speed, accuracy, and adjusted WPM for the test. The results are added to the Progress 

Report data. If you halt the Practice Test before it is completed, no data are entered in the Progress 

Report. Select the Done button to return to the Main menu. Select the Start Over button to return 

to the Mavis–Topic screen. 

45


Progress Report 

You can check your statistics and past results in the Progress Report area. Select the Progress 

Report button on the Main menu to access the report. There are three pages for the Progress 

Report: Summary, Details, and Keys. The Summary page is the default page shown. You can 

navigate between the various pages using the pop-up menu at upper right. If there are no data to 

report, the pages will be blank. 

The Progress Report–Summary page shows the following statistics: 

• Your current average typing speed (WPM), calculated using the last three results 

• Your current accuracy (percent) calculated using the last three results 

• Your current typing speed (adjusted words per minute: your WPM minus errors), 

calculated by averaging the last three results 

• The OK button, which returns you to the Main menu screen 

46

The Progress Report–Details page shows the following: 

• There is a list of all your results. Results are collected from last 20 games and practice 

tests you have completed. Each entry (arranged by date, with the most recent on top) 

shows the date, your speed (wpm), your accuracy, and the activity you played. 

• Beneath each result is a bar graph to show your accuracy level visually. 

• A scroll bar at right side allows you to scroll to view all your results. At least four results 

can be displayed at once on the page. The scroll bar appears if there are more than four 

results. 

• The maximum number of results is limited to 20. When you exceed this number, the 

oldest results are replaced by newer results. 

• Select the OK button to return to the Main menu screen. 

47


The Progress Report–Keys page shows the following: 

• A keyboard graphic highlights your problem keys. These are the keys you should practice. 

• Select the OK button to return to the Main menu screen. 

You can clear the data in the Progress Report at any time in the “Preferences” area. 

Options Menu 

You can access the Options menu by tapping the menu bar, located at the top of the screen. There 

are three categories available from the Options menu. Shortcut keys are noted on the menu. 

48

Preferences 

The Preferences screen is a full-screen pop-up window that allows you to change your personal 

settings. When you close the Preferences, you return to your current activity, but in some cases, the 

activity will need to be restarted. 

Important Note Regarding Audio: 

The Mavis Beacon PDA application contains sound effects. You must enable or disable audio using 

the main system preferences on your PDA. 

The Preferences Screen shows the following: 

• A checkbox allows you to disable the backspace key. When this is checked, the delete and 

backspace keys are disabled. The default is unchecked. 

• You can use the arrows to adjust the target typing speed. The default speed is 40 WPM. 

The minimum target speed is 25 WPM and the maximum allowed target speed is 120 

WPM. 

• Selecting the Clear button opens a dialog box, asking if you want to erase your progress 

report data and high scores, with an OK and Cancel button. Selecting OK clears the data. 

• The OK button confirms changes to the preferences. The Cancel button exits Preferences 

without making changes (except if you cleared the data). 

49


• As in other PDA applications, the Info button at upper right displays a standard 

information dialog box explaining the user interface. A Done button returns you to 

Preferences. 

Typing Tips 

The Typing Tips screen is a pop-up window that gives you instructions on which fingers to use for 

which keys. In addition, the Typing Tips window provides some tips for good typing. You can 

access the Typing Tips screen from the Options menu, or from the button in the Progress Report 

screen. 

The Typing Tips screen shows the following: 

• When you first enter Typing Tips, the text reads “Place your fingers on the home keys. 

Press any key to learn more.” After you press a key, the key and its fingering position 

appear. Subsequent key strokes will replace the text with the current key. 

• For capital letters, the shift key is also highlighted. 

• Selecting the “View Typing Tips” button takes you to a Tips window. The Tips window 

contains some simple tips for good typing. Selecting the Done button returns you to the 

Main menu. 

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About Mavis 

The About Mavis screen contains information about the product and the development team. 

51


Practice 

Transcription Lessons: 

Throughout your typing career you often work from printed text, whether it is letters, 

manuscripts, or other documents. Occasionally, the program asks you to practice typing text 

from your manual. Each of the following exercises are numbered and easily identified for those 

occasions. You also use this text when constructing custom transcription lessons. 

Note: Each of these exercises presents as many key combinations as possible and sometimes employ extra 

punctuation for added practice. DO NOT use them for grammar or punctuation practice. 

Exercise 1 

Typing while looking at another page can be a challenge! However, businesses all across the 

country expect this of a typist. Once you master the technique, it’s not only a challenge, but also a 

lot of fun. If your boss hands you a messy, scratched-out handwritten scrap of paper that he wants 

sent to a business associate, you know that a lot is riding on it. 

Everything depends on you! There is a sense of pride a good typist feels in creating a beautifully 

typed, finished letter or report (especially when he or she saw that “messy scrap” of paper that 

originally contained the information)! 

So, while the learning might go slowly and the road seems a long one as you begin to type, always 

remember that this skill will make a great difference in your future. Whether you will be typing 

office work, essays for school, or merely correspondence for yourself, your skill at typing will 

increase your productivity while it perfects the presentation of your work. 

52

Exercise 2 

Samantha loved her birthday. It was on Halloween! This year she invited her entire class. 

Her birthday cake was going to be a giant orange cake shaped like a jack-o’-lantern. They were 

going to play “Pin the Sheet on the Ghost” and eat candied apples! But what costume should she 

wear? She thought and thought. Her birthday got closer. Finally, her birthday was the next day. She 

still had no ideas! 

Her mother and father helped her think. Did she want to be a princess? A clown? A fairy? No, none 

of those ideas was just right. Finally, when Samantha was getting very sad, her cat Collette jumped 

in her lap. 

Suddenly Samantha knew what she would be! And at her birthday party the next day, Samantha did 

indeed have the best costume. Her costume had two little black ears, white fuzzy whiskers, and a 

long black tail! What was she? 

Exercise 3 

How you dress can say quite a bit about you. This fact couldn’t be more pertinent than when you 

begin a job search. Remember, the person interviewing you is trying to get to know as much about 

you as possible in a very short amount of time, sometimes in one-half hour or less. He or she is 

looking closely at every detail about you to help him or her make the final decision about whether 

you will be right for the job. Your style of dress doesn’t make your career, but it helps. 

Generally, if you have a question about an outfit, don’t wear it. In most cases a more traditional 

“look” is the wisest choice. A clean, crisp appearance is always better than sporting the latest 

fashion craze. 

Whether you choose a skirt, dress, or pants (for women, of course!) or a coat and tie or suit (for 

men), make sure that these clothes are freshly cleaned and pressed and that the colors are flattering 

to you. A fresh, uncluttered appearance might well give the indication that you perform fresh, 

uncluttered work. This theory might sound silly or strange, but think how many times you have 

judged someone by how he or she is dressed (“Oh, he was just wearing old tennis shoes and ugly 

shorts!”). So, next time you head out the door to meet someone important, stop by the mirror and 

give yourself the once-over! 

53


Exercise 4 

To: All Employees 

From: Larry Walker, Information Resources 

Date: September 9, 1999 

Re: Volunteer Opportunity 

I want to let all employees know about a nonprofit organization in our community that really 

deserves our support. It’s the Westside Computer Resource Center. 

The Westside Computer Resource Center has been in existence since 1994. Its mission is to take 

broken, discarded, or outdated computers and repair and rebuild them. It then donates the newly 

refurbished machines to schools, other nonprofits, Third World countries, and other deserving 

recipients, completely free of charge. 

In addition to its recycling and repair service, the WCRC offers free technical training to young 

people and others who may not be able to afford it otherwise. 

I have been working with the WCRC for the last six months, and would like to urge you to have 

your department donate old computers, parts, and peripherals to us. WCRC also needs volunteers 

to spend a few hours a week to help repair and rebuild computers, as well as assist in its training 

program. If you are interested in helping the WCRC, please call me at Extension 346. 

54

Exercise 5 

Mr. Lawrence Nigel 

President 

Advertising Creations 

1478 23rd Ave. NE 

San Francisco, CA 94586 

Dear Mr. Nigel, 

Your current San Francisco Examiner ad for an Account Assistant caught my eye because the 

position combines my present work experience and career goals. 

As you can see by my enclosed resume, I currently work as a Public Relations Assistant for La Cuisine 

Luxe, a small gourmet foods company. We supply all the pastries and elegant picnic items for the 

specialty food shops at Drake’s and Lawrence-Lytton department stores. 

As I know your firm specializes in food and beverage advertising, I feel certain that my expertise in 

this area, coupled with my drive to enter the field of advertising, would make me an attractive 

addition to your company. 

I will follow this letter with a phone call later this week so that we might arrange an interview time. 

Regards, 

55


Exercise 6 

Mrs. Douglas Hennesy 

1890 45th St. NW 

Sacramento, CA 95816 

Dear Mrs. Hennesy, 

As a Berkton’s Department Store preferred customer, you are eligible for entry into our “Hawaiian 

Get-Away for Two”! And all you have to do is come to our “Perfect Beauty” Care Salon on the third 

floor and pick up your free gift. 

Throughout the year, we here at Berkton’s have appreciated your patronage. You saw us through 

those long winter months of our Care Salon renovation as well as the “face lift” we’ve given to our 

Cosmetics Department! That’s why we want to help you get away from it all for a Hawaiian 

vacation! And to make the wait for your winning ticket all the more pleasurable, we’d like to offer 

you a sample of our newest skin care line from Switzerland called “La Beaute Eternelle.” This series 

of amazing products makes skin care a delight! 

So, just visit our “Perfect Beauty” Care Salon any time between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 

p.m., Monday through Saturday, to pick up the “La Beaute Eternelle” care kit created just for you! 

And while you’re there, register for your “Hawaiian Get-Away for Two.” 

Thank you again for being such a special customer to us. See you in Hawaii! 

Sincerely yours, 

Carolyn A. Smathers 

Divisional Merchandise Manager 

56

Exercise 7 

For as long as anyone could remember, Rockland Middle School had great school dances. This year’s 

Dance Committee needed all the help it could get to keep up the tradition. 

As Committee Chairpersons, Denise Dunlap and Jonah Clark had to make decisions and get 

everyone working quickly and efficiently. There was certainly no time for disagreements between 

them. But just one week before the fall Welcome Dance, that is exactly what happened. 

Jonah phoned Denise to ask her to help call the people in charge of decorations, refreshments, 

tickets, and clean-up. Denise had just finished talking to each of them at school that day, and 

thought Jonah wanted her to call them again. She didn’t think that was necessary. “They know 

what to do,” she responded with annoyance. 

Jonah felt angry and said, “I was just making a suggestion!” “No, you weren’t,” blurted Denise. 

“You just like to order everybody around, including me!” “What?!” said Jonah. “Wait a minute-no, 

I don’t. But we’ve got to talk to these people to see if they’re organized for next week. I’ll call them 

if you can’t.” He hung up the phone in anger. 

Denise began to cry. She didn’t want to, but the tears just came. Her older sister Liza came in and 

asked her what was wrong. She tried to explain. Liza asked, “Did Jonah know you already talked to 

everyone?” “I think so,” said Denise. “He was right there at lunch when I was talking to 

everybody.” “Well, maybe he didn’t,” suggested Liza. “Why don’t you call him back?” 

Denise decided to take her sister’s suggestion. There was no way she and Jonah could make it 

through a whole year of planning if they didn’t get along. 

Sure enough, Jonah didn’t know she’d talked to everyone, and both of them realized that if they 

were going to work together, they really needed to be very clear with each other to avoid problems 

and remain friends. 

57


Exercise 8 

Dear Friends, 

Last week while I was in the hospital, your cards, phone calls, and visits made it one of the best 

times of my life-so far! I know that seems funny, but it’s true. I never knew how much friendship 

meant until I experienced all of your kindness. 

They say having an appendix out is pretty painful, but it only hurt when you guys made me laugh, 

which was every afternoon when many of you came by to keep me company! Even my surgeon 

said she’d like to hire some of you to help the rest of her patients heal as quickly as I did. 

I look forward to getting back to school in a few more days, but I just wanted you all to know I 

think you’re the greatest. Thanks a lot for everything. 

Your friend, 

Jana 

58

Exercise 9 

You can really make a difference wherever you work, not just because you will take care of a certain 

percentage of the office workload, but with your attitude as well. When surveyed, many employers 

ranked an employee’s attitude as high as the amount of work he or she completed on a daily basis. 

“Attitude” can be as simple as a smile and a cheery “Good Morning!” at the beginning of a 

workday. As simple as this sounds, you would be surprised at how few employees ignore this simple 

courtesy. Certainly, on not all days are you going to feel “on top of the world,” but before you start 

taking out how you might feel on your employer or fellow employees, put the shoe on the other 

foot. 

How would you feel if you were starting out Monday, typing out an important report for your 

employer, and he bursts into the office with a sour look? He greets your “Good Morning!” with 

barely a grunt, then storms away and slams his door. More than likely, you would feel hurt, 

frustrated, and perhaps even angry that he took his problems out on you. Of course, what he is 

doing isn’t fair, but he isn’t thinking of being fair. He is only thinking of himself. 

And that’s the point. He is only thinking of himself. His anger toward you has not alleviated his 

problem; in fact, it has made the day worse for you both. If he were to have thought of you and 

your feelings (especially since you probably had nothing to do with his “beginning of the week” ill 

humor), he might have swallowed his anger and greeted you in a more cordial manner. Of course, 

the reasons for his fury would still exist, but you would be more likely to offer help, rather than turn 

your back. 

This scenario is reversible. You could be the angered one and your employer or other office staff be 

the recipients of your dark mood. 

All the same advice applies. Try to keep your anger from influencing your work and work-related 

relationships. Put yourself in the other guy’s shoes. 

59


Exercise 10 

Should you gain employment in an office as part of the office support staff, you may not always 

take part in the actual “business” of a business meeting, but your work is vital to its success. 

Secretaries or administrative assistants who work closely with executives in charge of business 

meetings have extra responsibilities, and often have to take charge of important aspects of these 

events. 

Preparation for the conference might include offering alternatives for when and where the meeting 

will take place, confirming any guest speakers, checking that all who are expected to or desire to 

attend know the necessary details, and perhaps even helping prepare visual aids for the 

presentation. 

It is during the meeting itself that the term “support staff” really comes to life. An efficient 

assistant is always ready to make sure this event comes off successfully. The duties here might 

include readying the hall or conference room (Do the people attending need paper? Pens? 

Individual pitchers of water?) and even greeting the guests as they arrive. The assistant should be 

ready to give an account of whom attended. 

Follow-up after the meeting depends on the executive in charge. The room or hall must return to 

its original condition, and the assistant tends to the further comfort of the attendees. Follow-up 

correspondence and a financial report of the meeting’s expenses are also jobs the assistant may 

perform. As you can see, in business as well as architecture, without support, the “structure” will 

fall! 

60

Exercise 11 

Henry always wished he could fly. He would climb up to the top of his parents’ apartment building 

in New York every night. The building was very high. And every night he imagined flying high above 

the city. Zoom! Swish! How he loved it! 

But it was also dangerous. At least that’s what his parents said. “What would happen if you fell?” 

they demanded when they found him up there one night. As punishment, Henry had to go to bed 

early for a week. 

Henry was very angry. His parents had robbed him of his most favorite thing! He would show them. 

He would sprout wings that night and fly away! Boy, would they miss him then! With all of these 

angry thoughts swirling around in his head, Henry went to sleep. 

But he woke up soon because he couldn’t get comfortable. His back itched. He reached around to 

scratch it and felt feathers! He had grown wings! Quickly, Henry opened his window and jumped 

out. He knew his wings would carry him and they did! It was better than he ever dreamed. He flew 

over Times Square, the Empire State Building, and everything just as if he were a bird! 

Then, suddenly, one by one, his feathers fell out! Oh, no! Henry was falling...Thud! He hit the 

ground. 

Then Henry woke up. It had all been a dream. And he realized that the ground was the best place 

to be. 

Exercise 12 

Dear Sir or Madam, 

Thank you for sending me your winter catalog of camping equipment. Your prompt response will 

help me receive my new camping gear before our family 4th of July outing! 

I would specifically like to order the “All Weather Wear” parka with “zip-outable” lining in a size 

medium in red. The stock number is #4560021. I would also like to order your extra-thick thermal 

over-socks in a size small in blue. That order number is #6731349. 

Enclosed is a money order for a total of $53.15 plus 8.0% California sales tax and $3.50 postage 

and handling. My address is: 1234 East Vermont St./Los Angeles, CA 90027. I look forward to 

receiving my order, and Happy (early) July 4th! 

Regards, 

61


Dictation Lessons 

D1 Lesson 1: 

D1W01 

D1W02 

D1W03 

D1W04 

D1W05 

D1W06 

D1W07 

D1W08 

Dear Mrs. Monroe, 

Thank you for your recent catalogue order. 

Unfortunately, the dress is temporarily out of stock, 

so we cannot guarantee that you will have delivery of this item 

within the usual ten days. 

However, we anticipate that you will have received the dress 

within two weeks of receipt of this letter. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. 

62

D2 Lesson 2: 

D2W01 

D2W02 

D2W03 

D2W04 

D2W05 

D2W06 

D2W07 

D2W08 

D2W09 

D2W10 

D2W11 

D2W12 

D2W13 

D2W13 

D2W14 

Dear Mom, 

What’s happening? 

Did Sammy get over the flu yet? 

Did you get your hair cut like you said you would? 

I was able to get most of my classes finally, 

but some are in the morning and some are in the afternoon. 

I’ll be running back and forth to the dorm a lot. 

I spent a lot more money on books than I had anticipated 

because I had to buy all new ones. 

This has left me a little short, 

and there’s a big ski weekend coming up soon. 

Could you please send me some more money right away? 

Remember, the more you send me, the less I’ll pester you. 

Love you all, 

Stacy 

63


D3 Lesson 3: 

D3W01 

D3W02 

D3W03 

D3W04 

D3W05 

D3W06 

D3W07 

D3W08 

D3W09 

D3W10 

D3W11 

Dear Hotel Pacific: 

I would like to reserve a deluxe suite for two people at your hotel 

for the 3 nights of October 7th, 8th, and 9th. 

I hope that the deluxe suite is still furnished with two queen sized beds, 

a microwave oven, and a small refrigerator. 

We would like a room higher than the 8th floor 

looking down on the pool area. 

If you cannot fulfill this request as stated, 

please notify me at once. 

Thank you for your immediate attention to my request, 

Joan Gordon 

64

D4 Lesson 4: 

D4W01 

D4W02 

D4W03 

D4W04 

D4W05 

D4W06 

D4W07 

D4W08 

D4W09 

D4W10 

D4W11 

D4W12 

Dear Mr. Johnson: 

Enclosed please find my resume in response to your advertisement for a systems analyst. 

My current position as an applications consultant with Crossbase Corporation 

has provided me with a broad range of experience 

with both mainframe and personal computers. 

I have programmed in several languages, but more importantly I have prepared 

requirements, 

tested, and implemented system changes. 

I have worked closely with both users and programmers 

to develop applications that accurately produce the necessary results. 

I would appreciate the opportunity of discussing how my qualifications 

fit your requirements. 

Sincerely, 

D4W13 

Mary Chan 

65


D5 Lesson 5: 

D5W01 

D5W02 

D5W03 

D5W04 

D5W05 

D5W06 

D5W07 

D5W08 

D5W09 

D5W10 

D5W11 

D5W12 

Dear Mr. Johnson and Ms. Brown: 

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. 

I was most impressed with the wide variety of projects 

under development in your department. 

I’m sure that this is an environment which would provide me with opportunities and 

challenges. 

I feel that my programming skills 

would be an enhancement to the skills of others in your department, 

and my analysis experience is the equivalent of the job requirements. 

I want you to know that I am very interested in the position, 

and I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely, 

Mary Chan 

66

D6 Lesson 6: 

D6W01 

D6W02 

D6W03 

D6W04 

D6W05 

D6W06 

D6W07 

D6W08 

D6W09 

D6W10 

D6W11 

D6W12 

D6W13 

Dear Laura: 

Per our conversation yesterday, 

I’m changing the advertising concept 

for the introduction of our dental hygiene products. 

I agree with you 

that our television advertising campaign should focus primarily 

on the evening hours between 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., 

even though the expense is far greater than other hours. 

I also agree that a more personalized approach is in order. 

We will have a new proposal available 

by our regularly scheduled appointment this Friday. 

Thank you for your valuable input. 

Mark 

67


D7 Lesson 7: 

D7W01 

D7W02 

D7W03 

D7W04 

D7W05 

D7W06 

D7W07 

D7W08 

D7W09 

D7W10 

D7W11 

D7W12 

D7W13 

D7W14 

D7W15 

D7W16 

D7W17 

D7W18 

D7W19 

D7W20 

I had both good news and bad news from my employer six weeks ago. 

The good news was that I had qualified for a special training class at the company’s 

headquarters. 

The bad news was that the company’s headquarters 

was in a different city, 

over 200 miles away. 

Since the expense of having a substitute home for six months was all mine, 

I wanted to find the most economical apartment available. 

A friend told me that she knew of a marvelous, 

inexpensive room for rent, 

but I didn’t want to live in someone else’s home. 

So instead of looking at it, 

I spent a whole week looking at every apartment in the city. 

Something was decidedly wrong with every one of them. 

Finally, in desperation, 

I went to look at that room for rent. 

And guess what? 

I loved it. 

I learned a little lesson there. 

Always investigate the most obvious solution first 

so you don’t waste time. 

68

D8 Lesson 8: 

D8W01 

D8W02 

D8W03 

D8W04 

D8W05 

D8W06 

D8W07 

D8W08 

D8W09 

D8W10 

D8W11 

D8W12 

D8W13 

Welcome to the Neighborhood! 

We at the Smith Department Store 

would like to congratulate you on the purchase of your new home 

and hope that you will enjoy exploring decorating possibilities with us. 

We offer a vast array of drape and carpet textures and colors 

as well as a wide selection of coordinating bedroom and bath accessories. 

As an added bonus, 

we have a professional decorator on duty from 1 pm to 9 pm 

to aid you in achieving just the right effect. 

And because we know expenses are high at the beginning of new home ownership, 

with your good credit you may defer payment on your purchases for up to six months. 

Come in and see us soon. 

Bring this letter and receive a free gift in our Carpet Department. 

69


D9 Lesson 9: 

D9W01 

D9W02 

D9W03 

D9W04 

D9W05 

D9W06 

D9W07 

D9W08 

D9W09 

D9W10 

D9W11 

D9W12 

D9W13 

D9W14 

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Anderson and Family: 

Why not do something different this winter? 

Get away from the cold, dreary, and wet weather 

and relax in the sunny, temperate climate of Arizona. 

We at the Arizona Resort Association 

want to offer you the opportunity to get away 

to a free week of family fun 

at one of our delightful living centers. 

Stay in a modern, furnished condominium 

and participate in water sports or golf. 

Join our structured activities for young and old at our recreation center. 

Or just rest, assured that your stay will be customized to your requirements. 

We have enclosed a brochure for your inspection. 

Our next orientation meeting for this offering 

D9W15 is scheduled for the evening of May 7, 1996. 

D9W16 

D9W17 

D9W18 

D9W19 

Please telephone us at 

415-555-6784 for reservations. 

We’re looking forward to meeting you. 

Your friends at the Arizona Resort Association. 

70

D10 Lesson 10: 

D10W01 

D10W02 

D10W03 

D10W04 

D10W05 

D10W06 

D10W07 

D10W08 

D10W09 

D10W10 

D10W11 

D10W12 

D10W13 

D10W14 

D10W15 

D10W16 

D10W17 

D10W18 

Dear Executive: 

The success of any lunch or dinner conference 

depends on more than your notes and overhead projections. 

Success depends on a suitable atmosphere. 

If you meet in the banquet room of a restaurant, 

service, noise levels, and distractions 

may ruin the concentration of your audience. 

This may spell disaster for your meeting as well as your reputation. 

So why not have your conference catered by Classy Caterers? 

It is our business to make your business meeting run smoothly. 

Our personally prepared meals are perfect for any lunch or dinner meeting. 

You may choose that perfect meal from our vast menu, 

or for that special meeting, we will be happy to customize each meal for you. 

Your food will be delivered at the exact time you specify, 

and your guests will have our undivided attention. 

By the time you’re ready to get down to business, 

we will have satisfied your guests and they’ll be prepared to concentrate. 

We are waiting to serve you! 

71


Typing Business Letters 

All formal letter formats contain the same basic elements. These are the Letterhead or 

Originating Address (your address), the Date, the Inside Address (address of the recipient), the 

Salutation, the Body of the Letter, the Complimentary Close, and the Reference. The illustration 

below shows the position of each of these elements. 

November 20, 2000 

Greg Matterion 

V.P. New Accounts 

Chroma Copier 

15724 Ventura Blvd. 

Studio City, CA 94216 

Re: “XL-1000” service contract 

Dear Greg, 

As per our conversation of Tuesday, November 17, here is the 

completed service contract for our new” XL-1000” copier. We 

have decided to purchase the three-year contract instead of 

the standard one-year service guarantee. A check for the 

$375 total is enclosed. 

Your assistant, Jerry Kershin, telephoned yesterday and went 

over some of the specifics of the contract. It is my 

understanding from him that we must provide insurance 

protecting our office staff as well as your company in the 

event of damage to or destruction of the leased equipment. 

For your reference, our insurance company is Travelstone 

Inc., located here in Los Angeles. 

Thank you for the extra time and consideration you have 

taken in handling our account. We look forward to a long and 

fruitful association with Chroma Copiers. 

Regards, 

Marion Roberts 

Office Operations 

Enc. 

400 SUNDANCE BLVD. • LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA 94947 • PHONE 319.378.7319 

72

1. The Letterhead or Originating Address 

Many people use preprinted letterhead stationary for both business and personal use. For 

business use, your name, company address, and telephone number are usually included. For 

personal use, many people simply use their names, but your home address may be added as well. 

This information is located at the top of the first page of your stationery, and usually takes up about 

two inches of space. The letterhead may be centered, or flush left or right depending on letter style 

(we discuss this later). 

If you are using blank stationery for business with no preprinted letterhead, then type your 

address and telephone at the top of the page. You may either center it or place it flush to one 

side. Do not type your name; save that for the Complimentary Close. 

2. The Date 

Type the date below the letterhead. Depending on the letter style you choose it can be flush to 

one side or centered. Whatever the case, the following rules apply: 

a. The date is typed two lines below the letterhead. 

b. The name of the month is typed in full. 

c. A comma separates the day of the month from the year. For example: January 12, 2000. 

3. The Inside Address 

Type the address in full, including the name and title of the person to whom you are writing. 

Make this address similar to the one on the envelope. The title may be placed on the same line as 

the person’s name, such as: 

Lorena Samson, Chair 

Or on the next line: 

Lorena Samson 

Chair 

73


3. The Inside Address (continued) 

If the company address takes up more than two or three lines, you might want to put the title 

and name on the same line. However if Lorena’s title were long, such as “Assistant Manager 

Product Storage, Retrieval and Development, Section II-IA,” you might want to separate things 

out to keep the address neat. The point is to keep everything clear and easy to read. For 

example: 

Lorena Samson 

Assistant Manager, 

Product Storage, Retrieval 

and Development, Section II-IA 

The company address goes under the company name. If it is too long, follow the same example 

as with the title: 

Lorena Samson 

Chair 

The Great Midwestern, Atlantic 

and Pacific Insurance Cartel, Inc. 

The street address is typed below the name and title. Again, type what is going to be on the 

envelope. Here are a few guidelines: 

a. Use numbers for all buildings except the number One (as in “One Central Plaza”). 

b. Use numbers for streets, avenues, and so on above the number Ten. 

c. Write out directions such as North or South; abbreviate city directions such as Northeast 

to NE. 

Type the city, state, and zip code beneath the street address. Learn and use the zip code 

abbreviations for the names of the states. 

74

Sometimes an “attention” or “re” line exists below the last address line and before the 

salutation. This directs your letter to one specific person or department, or declares what the 

letter is about. Upon completing the last address line, insert one blank line and press 

Enter/Return. Now type your “attention” or “re” line flush, indented, or centered and press 

Enter/Return. Insert one blank line and press Enter/Return. Type the salutation. 

Here is an example of each: 

Lorena Samson 

Chair 

Bank of America 

6900 Melrose Ave. 

Los Angeles, CA 90035 

Re: Updated deposit procedure 

Bank of America 



Attn: Accounts Receivable 

4. The Salutation 

If you know the person to whom you are writing, the salutation generally begins “Dear...” and 

if you know the person well you may use his or her first name. If you do not know the person, 

you might put “Dear Mr. or Ms.” with a name or perhaps a generic “Dear Sir or Madam” 

without a name at all. In any event, be courteous and do not assume any familiarity. 

5. The Body of the Letter 

Organize your letter into paragraphs and type it single-spaced. Depending on its style 

(discussed later), the first line of each paragraph is either indented five spaces or flush left. 

Always double space between paragraphs. 

75


6. The Complimentary Close 

The words you choose to close your letter reflect the impression you want to leave with the 

reader. “Regards,” “Very truly yours,” and “Sincerely” are the usual endings, but you may 

choose another closing with which you are more comfortable. When in doubt stick with 

something more formal. 

Following the closing skip four lines and type your name, or the name of the person who has 

written and is signing the letter. 

7. The Reference 

References are typed several lines down from the signature, depending on space available. They 

may tell the addressee who wrote and then who typed the letter. In this example, Sam Bronson 

typed a letter for his employer, Lorena Samson: 

LS:sb 

References can indicate enclosures (attached pages) in a letter. There are three ways of stating 

this enclosure: 

Enc. Enc. (5) Enclosure 

They can also designate who received copies of your letter. 

c.c.: Jack Remme 

Mary White 

Postscripts may replace a reference. 

P.S. Your immediate reply is urgently awaited, Lorena. 

76

Four Business Letter Forms 

Most traditional business or personal letter styles can be broken down into two basic types: 

block and indented. Here are illustrations of the four most common forms: 




Chroma Copier 




Dear Greg, 

As per our conversation of Tuesday, November 17, here is the 

completed service contract for our new” XL-1000” copier. We 




Your assistant, Jerry Kershin, telephoned yesterday and went 

over some of the specifics of the contract. It is my 









Regards, 



Enc. 


The full block style is the most formal. In this form, type all elements the Letterhead, the Date, 

the Inside Address, the Salutation, the Body of the Letter, the Complimentary Close, and the 

Reference, from the left margin. The paragraphs are not indented. 

77





Chroma Copier 




Dear Greg, 

As per our conversation of Tuesday, November 17, here is 

the completed service contract for our new “XL-1000” copier. 

We have decided to purchase the three-year contract instead 

of the standard one-year service guarantee. A check for the 


Your assistant, Jerry Kershin, telephoned yesterday and 

went over some of the specifics of the contract. It is my 









Regards, 



Enc. 

500 REDWOOD BLVD. • NOVATO, CALIFORNIA 94947 • PHONE 319.378.7319 

The standard block style continues with all elements flush left, with exception to the Date, the 

Complimentary Close, and the Reference. These begin at the center of the page. This form, 

while not quite as rigid as the full block style, is still very formal. 

78




Chroma Copier 




Dear Greg, 

As per our conversation of Tuesday, November 17, here 

is the completed service contract for our new “XL-1000” 

copier. We have decided to purchase the three-year contract 

instead of the standard one-year service guarantee. A check 

for the $375 total is enclosed. 











Regards, 



Enc. 


The semiblock style is the most common of these four forms. The semiblock style keeps all 

elements flush left, except the first line of every paragraph, which is indented five spaces. 

79





Chroma Copier 




Dear Greg, 

As per our conversation of Tuesday, November 17, here 

is the completed service contract for our new “XL-copier. We 














Regards, 



Enc. 

500 REDWOOD BLVD. • NOVATO, CALIFORNIA 94947 • PHONE 319.378.7319 

The indented style is the most stylized of the four forms. It is somewhat difficult to read and the 

least often used. This style requires that you indent the inside address. Keep the Name line flush 

left, and then with each line that follows indent it to the right of the one above: 

Lorena Samson 

Chair 



In the indented style, the signature line is indented to the right of the Complimentary Close: 

80

More on Business Letters 

Thus far, we have spoken only about one page letters. Often, you construct multiple page 

documents. The following are general guidelines, which help you create the clearest presentation 

possible. 

Before you print out your document, it is a good idea to preview your work. As with a single 

page letter, the look and organization of a multiple page document is important. Too many lines 

on a page or confusing page breaks can take the edge off a great piece of work. Most word 

processing software allows you to check how your document looks, so that you can make 

adjustments before printing it out. 

It is up to you to make sure that the documents extending to two or more pages do so 

gracefully, without “widows” or “orphans.” 

A “widow” is a line that falls at the end of one page and continues on the next. These line 

breaks can cause lack of continuity in your work and make reading your document more 

difficult. The worst widows break off with a hyphen in the middle of a word. 

The balance of the widowed sentence from the previous page is an “orphan.” While technically 

correct, avoid orphans and widows as they give your document a haphazard look. 

Generally, the first page of a multiple page document ends with “(more)”. This is a courtesy to 

your reader and it ensures they will read the balance of your document. Since you are striving to 

end every page with a complete sentence, the reader may not realize that your letter continues. 

A simple “(more)” indicates to the reader that it does. 

The following pages of your letter may or may not be numbered. Standard business procedure 

allows that a simple “Page 2” and so on, can be used on the top left corner of each page. As an 

identifying precaution, consider adding the name of the addressee and the letter’s date on each 

page. The top margins of the following pages of your letter can vary in size. Generally, the 

margins start six lines down from the top of the page. The body of the letter then commences 

four lines below this. Styles do vary but here is a standard form: 

[6 lines] 

Page 2 

Ms. Lorena Samson 

January 1, 1995 

[4 lines] 

We are continuing to review the night deposit procedures and will present the full report at our 

meeting. 

81


Web Page Basics 

Building a Web page using HTML is easy. We’ll build a simple Web page to start off, and direct 

you to great resources on the Web for further instruction. Ready? Begin! 

To start your Web page, open the Windows Notepad application. Select Start - Programs - 

Accessories - Notepad. 

Now type the following text in the open Notepad document: 

 

 

 

My Very Own Web Page 

 

 

 

Welcome and thank you for visiting My Web Page! 

 

My Web page text goes here. 

 

 

After you have completed typing the text save this file as “index.html” on your desktop. 

Now let’s see what our page looks like using our Web browser. To preview the file in your Web 

browser, open the browser; select File - Open - Browse - Filename - Open. 

Congratulations – you have just created your very first Web page! 

This Web page is essentially the same as many high end professional Web pages. It is created by 

a series of formatted text instructions, called tags, that essentially tell the browser where to 

place information and how it should appear. These tags come in pairs; the first one is called an 

open tag and the second is called a closed tag . 

Through the use of tags the most technologically advanced Web page (for the most part) uses 

the same technology as this simple Web page. 

There are many ways to create wonderful, engaging Web pages. You may choose to “handcode” 

HTML (as you did in the exercise above) or you may choose to use a “WYSIWYG” 

program (What You See Is What You Get) Web-builder program. To learn more about Web 

design, go online and research the various resources available. For example, go to your favorite 

search engine site, such as AskJeeves or Yahoo, and try keywords such as: Web, Web page, 

and Web site. 

82

TROUBLESHOOTING 

Try this first! If you have problems running the program, try cleaning the CD. Gently remove 

any fingerprints and dust using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth dampened with water or a CDcleaning 

solution. Avoid using materials such as tissue, which may scratch the CD. 

If you have additional questions, please see the school customer information card included in this 

binder. 

Windows ® 

1. The Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing program icon does not appear in the Start menu. 

• Make sure the product is already installed. Reinstall the program if necessary. 

2. You see a message telling you that there is not enough available space on the hard disk. 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing requires 200 MB of hard disk space for the program’s data 

and executable files. (Additional hard disk space will be required to save player information 

for more than five players.) 

• Create some free hard disk space by removing some files after backing them up. 

3. You see a message telling you that there is not enough memory to run the program. 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing needs at least 32 MB of installed memory (RAM) to run. Your 

computer’s memory may be filled with other programs that are running in the background. 

• Close any other applications that are running, and restart the program. 

4. The mouse doesn’t seem to work. 

There are times in the program when the animation or sound cannot be interrupted. You will 

see the hourglass cursor on the screen, and any key presses or mouse clicks will be ignored. 

• Check that the mouse is properly connected to the computer. 

• Wait until the animation or sound stops and your normal cursor returns. Then try 

pressing the keys or clicking the mouse again. 

5. Program speed is very slow. 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing needs at least a Pentium 166-MHz computer with an 8X CD- 

ROM drive for basic performance. 

• Close any other applications that are running. 

• Remove non-essential applications from your Startup folder. 

• Make sure that you have the latest Windows video drivers for your graphics card. 

(Contact the video card manufacturer for the latest drivers.) 

83


6. You do not hear music, sound, or speech. 

• Check that the speakers are properly connected to your computer. Make sure that they 

are getting power and are turned on, and that the volume is turned up. 

• Make sure that your sound card is Windows compatible and is properly installed for 

Windows. Be sure that the sound card is specifically designed to work with the version 

of Windows that you are using. Also check that the volume is properly set. (See the 

manufacturer’s documentation for information relating to your sound card.) 

• Make sure the mixer level setting is correct. Click on the Start button. Choose Programs 

from the Start menu. Next choose Accessories. Then choose Multimedia (Windows 95) 

or Entertainment (Windows 98, Me, XP), and choose Volume Control. Make sure that 

the sliders on the mixer control panel are all the way up and that no mute buttons are 

selected. 

7. Strange graphics appear; the game action stops unexpectedly. 

• Make sure you have the latest Windows video drivers installed. (Contact your video 

card manufacturer for more information.) 

• Remove non-essential applications from your Startup folder. 

8. Colors don’t look right. 

• Adjust your monitor’s color and brightness. 

• Turn off your screensaver. 

• Close any other applications that are running. 

• Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers installed. (Contact your video card 

manufacturer for more information.) 

9. The program window seems small. 

The program window may not fill the entire screen. 

10. Nothing prints. 

• Make sure the printer is plugged in and switched on. 

• Check the indicator light on the printer to be sure the printer is “online” or “selected.” 

• Make sure the printer cables are connected tightly. 

• Make sure you have selected at least one print item from the Printing area. Where 

applicable, make sure you have selected either Colored In or Outlined. 

• Make sure you have the latest printer drivers installed. (Contact your printer 

manufacturer for more information.) 

84

11. When you print, pictures or text look faint, blurred, or streaky. 

• Check your print quality settings. (See your printer documentation.) 

• Replace your printer’s ink cartridge. 

12. The printer displays an “out of memory” message. 

• Make sure your printer has at least 1 MB of memory. 

13. You are not able to connect to our online Web sites. 

This feature requires an Internet browser. In some cases, you may need to start the Internet 

connection before you run the program. 

• Make sure that you have a browser properly installed. (See your browser and Windows 

documentation for more information.) 

• Make sure that the files with an .HTM extension (for example, “bookmark.htm”) are 

associated with the browser of your choice. To check this, double-click on any .HTM file. 

Macintosh ® 

1. You do not see the Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing program icon on the desktop. 

• Make sure the program CD is inserted in the CD tray. 

2. You see a message that there is not enough space on the hard disk. 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing requires 200 MB of hard disk space for program data files. 

(Additional hard disk space will be required to save player information for more than five 

players.) 

• Create some free hard disk space by removing some files after backing them up. 

• For non-OS X, adjust the Virtual Memory setting to take less hard disk space. (See your 

Macintosh documentation for more information.) 

3. You see a message telling you that there is not enough memory to run the program. 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing requires at least 32 MB of installed memory (RAM) to run. 

Try to increase available memory and then start the program again. (Depending on which 

Internet browser you use, you may not be able to run both your browser and the program 

with only 32 MB of RAM.) For non-OS X, perform the following: 

• Quit any programs that you may be running. 

• Turn off or remove from the System Folder non-Apple ® control panels. 

• Reduce the size of the disk cache in the Memory control panel. (See your Macintosh 

documentation for more information.) 

85


• Turn off AppleTalk ® . 

• Increase virtual memory 

4. The mouse doesn’t seem to work. 

There are times in the program when the animation or sound cannot be interrupted. You 

will see the watch cursor on the screen, and any key presses or mouse clicks will be ignored. 

• Check that the mouse is properly connected to the computer. 

• Wait until the animation or sound stops and your normal cursor returns. Then try 

pressing the keys or clicking the mouse again. 

5. The music and voice in the game are too loud or too soft. 

• For non-OS X, choose Sound from Control Panels. Adjust your system’s speaker 

volume as needed by selecting the Volume setting. 

• For OS X, choose Sound from the System Preferences. Adjust your system’s speaker 

volume as needed. 

6. You do not hear music, sound, or speech. 

• Make sure that the Volumes setting in the Sound control panel in Control Panels (or 

System Preferences in OS X) is not set to zero. 

• If you have external speakers, make sure they are turned on and getting power and that 

they are properly connected to your computer. Also check the speaker volume. 

• For non-OS X, turn off or remove from the System Folder non-Apple control panels and 

extensions. (Leave the CD-ROM drivers.) Restart your computer. 

7. You hear popping noises in the game sounds and character voices. 

• Check the speaker connection to the computer. 

• Close all other applications. 

8. The program window seems small. 

The program window may not fill the entire screen. 

• Some monitors are not able to display the program at the optimum display setting, so 

the program may not fill the entire screen. 

9. Program speed is very slow, or sounds and animations do not play smoothly. 

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing needs at least a 180 MHz Power Macintosh computer with 

an 8X CD-ROM drive for basic performance. 

• Close all other applications. 

• For non-OS X, if you must have virtual memory on, reduce the amount of virtual 

memory allocated. 

86


Suggested Reading 

Ackerson, Luton. “A Correlational Analysis of Proficiency in Typing.” Archives of Psychology 13: 1- 

73. 

Angleo, John P. “A Comparative Study of the Highest and Lowest Ranking, First-Semester 

Typewriting Pupils.” Master’s thesis, University of Pittsburgh, 1934. 

Atwood, Dale D. “The Selection of Instructional Topics for Typewriting Methods Courses at the 

Undergraduate and Graduate Levels.” Master’s thesis, University of North Dakota, 1960. 

Atz, Roger. “An Annotated Bibliography and Critical Review of Professional Literature Related to the 

Teaching of Typewriting, 1951-1956.” Master’s thesis, State University of Iowa, 1958. 

Bailey, Florence D. “Weighing of Speed and Accuracy Factors in Typewriting.” Master’s thesis, State 

University of Iowa, 193 

Banner, May Ruth. “A Study of the Relationship Between Letter-Production Test Rates and Straight- 

Copy Test Rates in High School Typewriting (Virginia).” Master’s thesis, University of Tennessee, 

1953. 

Barnhart, Early W. “Reducing Typing Errors: A Five-Part Series.” Business Education World 363 

(1955): 22-3. 

Barrineau, Patricia M. “An Analysis of Typewriting Errors Made by Students in a Second-Year 

Typewriting Class at Leon High School, Tallahassee, Florida.” Master’s thesis, Florida State University, 

1954. 

Barton, J.W. “Smaller vs. Larger Units in Learning to Typewrite” Journal of Educational Psychology 

12 (1921): 465-474. 

Beach, Martha Virginia. “An Intensive Course in the Fundamentals of Touch Typewriting.” Master’s 

thesis, University of Cincinnati, 1943. 

Beardsley, Meta B. “The Relation of Typewriting Errors to Word Frequency.” Master’s thesis, 

University of Southern California, 1942. 

Berent, Irwin M., and Rod L. Evans. 1997. The Dictionary of Highly Unusual Words. New York: 

Berkeley Books. 

Biegel, R.A., “New Keyboards for Typewriters and Teleprinters” Paper presented at the Int. Pscho. 

Tech Conference. Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1935: 222-25. 

Blackstone, E.G. “An Experiment in Erasing in Typewriting” University of Iowa Research Studies in 

Commercial Education. 12 (1932) 8:158-66. 

88

Blanchard, Carroll H. Jr. “The Early Word Processors and Word Processing: Keyboards, Kinesthesis & 

Women.” Educators: Project IV, Lake George, New York, 1981. 

Bliven, Bruce Jr. The Wonderful Writing Machine, New York: Royal Typewriter, n.d. New York. 

Book, William Frederic, “How Progress in Learning to Typewrite Should be Measured and Why.” 

University of Iowa Monographs. 7 (1926): 62-76. 

Bramesfeld, E. “An Investigation of the Striking of Keys on the Typewriter” Industrielle 

Psychotechnik 6 (1929): 224-230. 

Brown, Jean Rosemond. “An Experimental Study to Compare the Relative 

Merits of Two Methods of Teaching Typewriting,” Master’s thesis, University of Michigan, 1940 

Chapman, Robert L., ed. New Dictionary of American Slang. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. 

Cleary, Joseph B. “A Typing Experiment” Journal of Business Education 31 (1955): 29-31. 

Clem, Jane E. Techniques of Teaching Typewriting. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1955. 

Cooper, William E., ed. Cognitive Aspects of Skilled Typewriting. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1983. 

Croteau, Maureen, and Wayne Worcester. The Essential Researcher. New York: Harper Perennial, 

1993. 

Davidson, Sidney H. “A Study of the Effects of Rest Periods on Progress in Learning in Typewriting.” 

Master’s thesis, University of Southern California, 1929. 

Davis, Dwight D.W. “An Analysis of Student Errors on the Universal and the Dvorak-Dealey 

Simplified Typewriter Keyboard.” Master’s thesis, University of Washington, 1935. 

Desoe, Lillian Rushmeyer. “An Experimental Study of the Integration of Shorthand and Typewriting 

Instruction in One Course, Transcription.” Master’s thesis, Cornell University, 1943. 

DuFrain, Viola. “Typewriting Teachers and Time and Motion Studies” National Business Education 

Quarterly 12 (1943): 15-20, 50, 66. 

Dvorak, August et al. Typewriting Behavior. New York: American Book Company, 1936. 

Famighetti, Robert. World Almanac and Book of Facts 1995. New Jersey: World Almanac, 1995. 

Fargis, Paul, and Sheree Bykofsky, ed. New York Public Library Desk Reference. New York: Webster’s 

New World, 1989. 

Goodwin, Lucile. “A Fusion Course in Typewriting.” Master’s thesis, Southwest Texas State Teachers 

College, 1941. 

Griffith, Cletus Leon. “A Study of Air Condition in Schoolrooms and Its Relation to Efficiency in 

Typewriting.” Master’s thesis, Purdue University, 1935. 

89


Herdman, Virginia. “Learning to Typewrite by Self-Instruction,” Master’s thesis, University of 

Cincinnati, 1953. 

Johnson, Otto, ed. 1996 Information Please Almanac. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. 

Kizer, Marguerite. “The Effect of Piano Playing on Learning to Typewrite.” Master’s thesis, State 

University of Iowa, 1926. 

Marshall, Nancy D. “An Experiment in Teaching Typewriting According to the Proposals of Mrs. 

Mabel Mize.” Master’s thesis, University of Kansas, 1941. 

Mondey, David, ed. International Encyclopedia of Aviation. New York: Crown Publishers, 1984. 

Russon, Allien R., and S.J. Wanous. Philosophy and Psychology of Teaching Typewriting. Cincinati: 

South Western Publishing, 1960. 

The History of Typewriting: Portions of History of the Dvorak Keyboard (n.p, n.d.). 

The Theory of Typewriting: How People Learn the Dvorak Keyboard (n.p, n.d). 

Thompson, Mildred. “A Study of the Effect of Hunt-and-Peck Habits on Typing Achievement.” 

Master’s thesis, Colorado State College of Education, 1944. 

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